Should Heat consider Birdman or Darko?

ASK IRA:

July 19, 2012|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

MIAMI — Q: Ira, Chris Andersen of Denver was amnestied. The Birdman would be the best fit to be the starting center for the Heat this coming season: high-intensity player, very good defender and rebounder, can catch the ball and score inside. Just set aside the outside issues on him, what do you think of him? -- Joey, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A: But you can't "just set aside the outside issues," because those matter on this team; the last thing you need are distractions from supporting players. Beyond that, the Heat have moved on from players who cannot be offensive threats. The issue with a look at Andersen, should he clear amnesty waivers, would not be as a starting center, but rather as depth in the power rotation. Is he worth a look? Sure. But there are decisions to be made there. I'm not sure that Darko Milicic isn't the safer option.

Q: Hey Ira, would it make sense for Miami to try to revive Andray Blatche's career (like Lamar Odom) or just hold out hope Greg Oden can be something if he comes back? -- Rich, Brooklyn.

A: Here's the issue with both: They would be projects on short-term contracts, so the moment they come around with their games, they instantly would be too expensive for the Heat to retain. The question for the Heat is whether they believe there could be a short-term gain with such moves. Again, Darko might be more of a ready-to-go type addition.

Q: Continuing to scour the amnesty wire, do you think Josh Childress would be a viable name? I know the Heat have plenty of swingmen, but maybe Childress can find that fire he used to have before he headed to Europe. -- Mike, Fort Myers.

A: I believe among the reasons the Heat didn't make a bigger push for Grant Hill is the realization that just about all the perimeter minutes are now accounted for. I'm not so sure that someone like Childress doesn't recognize as much, as well, and look for a situation where he can consistently get on the court.